Open Racing Reports

Tuesday, April 9, 2013
 The postponement of the Wallace Caldwell memorial and the cancellation of the P & O Tour of the North meant that Saturday’s Tour of the Ards Peninsula 64 miles road race was the first mass start, scratch race, of the season.
Weather conditions were favourable, for once, and this produced some attacking riding. A group of four riders broke clear on the circuit at Portaferry and they built up a maximum 1 minute 20 seconds lead at one point. However this was to be reduced to just 7 seconds by the finish, but the quartet had done enough to take the main prizes.
The majority of the remainder of field stayed together and came in with this chasing group, which also included Ballymena Road Club – Chain Reaction Cycles – rider Chris Beattie who finished just inside the top twenty.
Results - Tour of Ards - 104 kms
(1) James McMaster (Curran Racing) 2 hours 15 minutes 58 seconds (2) Alastair Macaulay  (Phoenix) (3) Gary Cranston (East Antrim) (4) Bryan McCrystal  (Cuchulainn) all same time (5) Brian Stewart (Phoenix) 2.16.05 at 7 seconds (6) David Neil (Phoenix) (7) Matty Blayney(North down) (8) Peter Kennedy (Easy Antrim) (9) Stuart Henry (North Down) (10) Bryan McKinney (Duffin Transport) all at 7 seconds.
Aghagallon Cup
Jude Sands of Newry Wheelers romped home a worthy, solo, winner of the Aghagallon Cup promoted by Clann Eireann on Sunday.
The race, which was strictly for A4 ‘s only, saw sixty riders line up to complete the ten laps of the short three and a half mile circuit at Bartins Bay.
George Graham and Breandan McCavana took part in the under 16 youth race with George finishing in seventh place. Claire Gillespie took part in the women’s race and was placed sixth. Michael Clarke from Portglenone finished eighth in the A4 race.
 
Aghagallon Cup Race (A4 riders)
(1) Jude Sands (Newry Wheelers) (2) Richard Sheerin (Foyle) (3) Graham Agnew (East Antrim) (4) William Loughridge (Ballymoney) (5) Brendan McAllister (Glens CC) (6) Conan Donnelly (Square Wheels) (7) Emmet Vallely (Square Wheels) (8) Michael Clarke (Bann Valley)
Women’s Race
(1) Hayleigh Priestly (LaLanterne rouge) (2) Rachel Mitchell (North Down) (3) Janine McNally (North Down) (6) Claire Gillespie (Ballymena RC)
Under 16 (1) Declan Mulholland (Clann Eireann) (2) Cathal Clarke (Newry Wheelers) (3) Rossa Doherty (Four Masters) (7) George Graham (Ballymena RC)